Date | Sept 27, 2016:

Justice Suresh Kumar Kait of the High Court at Hyderabad on Monday stayed the acquisition of land for the 'Kalyani Khani Open Cast Mining' Project in Adilabad district.

The judge was dealing with a petition filed by K Achuta Rao and four others questioning the mining project and alleged that the project was pushed ahead with a dubious environmental clearance and without ensuring any form of rehabilitation and resettlement for the affected families.

The petitioner’s counsel B. Rachana contended that no project should be undertaken without the prior approval of the Gram Sabhas of the villagers affected by the proposed project and to safeguard the forest rights of the villagers under the provisions of the Panchayats (Extension to the Scheduled Areas) Act, 1996, (PESA), the provisions of the Andhra Pradesh Scheduled Areas Land Transfer Regulation, 1959 as inserted by Regulation I of 1970 and the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. The judge granted interim stay and directed the authorities to respond to the petition.

(Source: http://www.thehansindia.com/)